US-Iran Escalation: The US shot down four Iranian drones aimed at the Strait of Hormuz and then struck Iranian coastal radar sites, while Iran said it retaliated with missiles and fired at tankers; Bahrain and Kuwait reported intercepts and air-raid alerts as talks stall. Lebanon Ceasefire Friction: Israel and Hezbollah kept trading fire despite a US-brokered ceasefire framework, and an Israeli strike killed Lebanese troops days after the deal, while Iran’s foreign minister rejected claims that Lebanon is a “bargaining chip.” Diplomatic Fallout: Ireland imposed travel bans on Israeli ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich over Gaza flotilla and Palestinian-related remarks. Gaza/West Bank Violence: Hamas delegation arrived in Cairo for Gaza ceasefire implementation talks, while in the West Bank an Israeli shooting killed a seven-month-old Palestinian baby and wounded his parents. Security Inside US-Israel Ties: The Pentagon reportedly raised Israel’s counterintelligence threat level to “critical” over concerns about spying on senior US officials. Sports Amid War: Iran’s World Cup squad received US visas, though some staff faced lingering paperwork issues. Iraq State Control: Two Iran-backed Iraqi Shi’ite militias announced weapon handovers to state control, welcomed by US officials as a step toward Iraqi sovereignty.